1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connecting apparatus for retaining a wet dry vacuum cleaner in a vertically spaced relationship with a cleaning solution tank, whereby these combined elements are conveniently used as a cleaning solution -- extraction type cleaning apparatus.
2. Brief Description of Prior Art
The typical prior art cleaning solution -- extraction type cleaning apparatus is a hot water extraction cleaner primarily intended for cleaning carpets or the like. With this typical prior art arrangement, a cleaning solution tank receives a supply of hot water, and the hot water is pumped to a wand-like cleaning tool having a spray nozzle for distributing the hot water to the carpet. A vacuum nozzle of the wand-like cleaning tool is connected through a flexible conduit to a source of vacuum within the cleaner. The vacuum at the vacuum nozzle extracts the hot water cleaning solution and foreign matter from the carpet, and the foreign matter and cleaning solution are received within a return container of the hot water extraction cleaner.
The prior art hot water extraction cleaners are sold as a unit, with one housing member typically containing the solution tank, the vacuum source, the return container and the various controls and associated instrumentalities which secure operation of the hot water extraction cleaner. When purchased, the hot water extraction cleaner is relatively costly since the purchaser receives all of the foregoing elements operatively connected as the single unit.
Another type of hot water extraction cleaner employs a wet dry vacuum cleaner which is selectively connectable with a housing containing the solution tank and the control apparatus and other instrumentalities for securing combined operation of the wet dry vacuum cleaner and the solution tank. In such devices, the housing member is rigidly constructed to receive only the vacuum cleaner, or one of substantially the same size, which is intended for use as a part of the hot water extraction cleaner. These hot water extraction cleaners are also sold as a unit including the wet dry vacuum cleaner, and therefore are relatively expensive. Since the housing member is constructed to receive the wet dry vacuum cleaner of only one size and configuration, this vacuum cleaner is essentially a required element of apparatus in this type of hot water extraction cleaner.
One advantage of the prior art extraction cleaner employing a selectively removable wet dry vacuum cleaner is that the wet dry vacuum cleaner may be disconnected and removed from the associated elements and used for purposes other than hot water extraction. This is of significance to the user since the wet dry vacuum cleaner has a wide variety of different uses other than just as part of a hot water extraction cleaner, as is well known. Of course, the other type of hot water extraction cleaner in which the source of vacuum is formed as a part of the cleaner does not provide this advantage, since the source of vacuum and the return container are arranged only for the purpose of extracting hot water cleaning solution and foreign matter from the carpet or article to be cleaned. Because of this construction, it is not realistic nor is it intended that the source of vacuum be used as a vacuum cleaner separate from the other elements of the hot water extraction cleaner.
Even though more convenient, the hot water extraction cleaner employing a selectively removable wet dry vacuum cleaner gives rise to certain significant disadvantages. Since these hot water extraction cleaners are sold as a unit, the consumer is required to purchase the wet dry vacuum cleaner as a part of the cleaner. This is a disadvantage to many consumers who have previously purchased a wet dry vacuum cleaner for other purposes, since the consumer is required to purchase a second wet dry vacuum cleaner as a part of the extraction cleaner. However, even if this were not the case, there is a substantial probability that the pre-existing wet dry vacuum cleaner could not be readily combined with the housing member which receives the wet dry vacuum cleaner, because the housing member is typically constructed to receive only the single size and configuration of one particular type of wet dry vacuum cleaner. Conventional wet dry vacuum cleaners, of course, come in a variety of sizes, and its main body have various different configurations including cylindrically shaped canister bodies or square or rectangular bodies. Thus, a consumer having first purchased a wet dry vacuum cleaner must pay the additional cost of a second wet dry vacuum cleaner or of a vacuum source and return container, when that consumer obtains a prior art hot water extraction cleaner.